Handbag



March 17, 1964 L. B. WILLIAMS HANDBAG Filed Feb. 18, 1965 United S This invention relates to an improved handbag construction, and in particular, to a womans handbag which is relatively free from the possibility of being picked, lost or stolen if properly carried or held.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a womans handbag for travel or other purposes with ample carrying space, which is designed to be placed on the lap or over a knee when the user is sitting and is designed to be slipped over the wrist when being carried. Another object is to provide a womans handbag which has less tendency to be picked, lost or stolen since it is maintained on or attached to the body of the person carrying the same. Another object is to provide a construction for a womans handbag of flexible material, with two substantially similar article receiving or carrying pockets, which are designed to be maintained in spaced relation in saddle bag fashion, said pockets each having an opening on the inside thereof, said openings being substantially hidden from view, inaccessible to others, and having closure means thereon.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention is embodied in a handbag comprising two article carrying pockets which are normally in slightly spaced relation when the handbag is being carried, said article carrying pockets being connected by a pair of central portions through which the hand, wrist, and lower forearm of the user may be inserted, said arti cle carrying portions having an opening therein, said opening being relatively hidden from View and inaccessible to others.

The invention also consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawings which form part of this specification and wherein like numerals refer to like parts whenever they occur:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the upper or outer piece of material for a handbag embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is the lower or inner material,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the handbag with the two foregoing pieces of material joined together,

FIG. 4 is a side view of the assembled handbag showing the opening for the hand, wrist, and forearm,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along the line 55 of FIG. 3 showing the pockets in slightly bowed condition,

FIG. 6 shows the present handbag being carried,

FIG. 7 shows the present handbag resting on the knee of a woman in sitting position, and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the present handbag showing an access opening on the inner side of one pocket in a slightly different position from that shown in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the present invention is embodied in a womans handbag 1. As shown, the handbag 1 may be made if desired from two flat rectangular pieces of material 2 and 3 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 respectively. The piece of material 2 shown in FIG. 1 has two outer wall forming portions 4 and a central connecting portion 5 therebetween. The piece of material 3 shown in FIG. 2 has two inner wall forming portions 6 with a central connecting portion 7 therebetween. The upper portion 8 of each inner wall 6 is provided with an opening 9 therein having tates Patent C Patented Mar. 17, 1964 closure means 10 thereon if desired. The closure means 10 may be a slide fastener or any other suitable means.

The handbag 1 is formed by fastening the pieces 2 and 3 together, such as by stitching 11 along the outer edges 12 thereof, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. From these views it will be apparent that the longer piece 2 projects outwardly at the central outer portion 5, whereas the shorter piece 3 forms a shorter central inner portion 7.

This arrangement forms two article carrying pockets 13 with a wrist opening 14 therebetween. The wrist opening 14 is large enough to accommodate the hand, wrist, and lower forearm of a woman even if she should have an outer coat with sleeves thereon. However, the opening 14 should not be so large as to allow the handbag 1 to fall with ease from the arm of the wearer.

It will be seen that the handbag 1 shown is substantially rectangular with each pocket 12 having a relatively wide upper portion 8 on the inner wall 6 which contains the opening 9. The upper or outer central connecting member 5 is as wide as the outer walls 4; it may be gathered at the top portion for styling or other purposes. The lower or inner central connecting member 7 is as wide as the inner walls 6.

As best shown in FIGS. 68, the handbag 1 is carried in saddle bag fashion so that the weight of the articles within each carrying pocket 13 tends to balance the handbag 1 about the central portions 5 and 7 when the handbag is being carried or held over the knee in sitting position. The pockets 13 are normally positioned in spaced relation to each other and the openings 9 face each other on the inner or lower piece of material 3. Being so positioned, the openings 9 are substantially hidden from the view of others and are not accessible to others, as in the case of some handbags which can be opened while being carried without the knowledge of the user. The present handbag 1 is designed especially for women who are travelling or who might otherwise be a target for a thief. The present arrangement keeps the purse physically attached to or resting upon the user at all times, so that the handbag 1 need never be rested on a table or seat but always remains in contact with the user.

It has been found that a convenient size for such a handbag is one wherein the upper piece 2 shown in FIG. 1 is about seven inches wide and twenty-eight inches long and the lower piece 3 shown in FIG. 2 is about seven inches wide and twenty-four inches long. The dimensions of the carrying pockets 13 may be as desired. However, the pieces 2 and 3 should be so dimensioned that the wrist opening 14 for the arm is of sufficient size to receive the hand, wrist, and forearm of the user, even when she is wearing a coat. However, the wrist opening 14 should not be excessively large and preferably, there should be a snug fit on the arm. The pieces 2 and 3 may be made from one or a number of pieces of material if desired.

One of the most simple forms of the invention has een illustrated for clarity and simplicity, but it is understood that the purse or handbag can be made from different materials in one or more pieces, with or without a lining, and with or without interior pockets and normal conveniences, not shown, presently found in womens handbags. Similarly it is not absolutely essential that the handbag be rectangular in shape, and in fact, it can take almost any shape desired.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A handbag comprising two similar article carrying pockets spaced from each other, said pockets being connected by a pair of central portions through which the wrist of the user may be inserted, said pockets and said central portions being of substantially the same Width, each of said pockets having an opening therein, said openings being substantially hidden from view and inaccessible to others, said openings each having closure means thereon.

2, A substantially rectangular handbag comprising two similar article carrying pockets each having an outer wall, an inner wall, and a relatively wide upper portion, lower and upper central portions secured to said wide upper portions of said pockets, said inner walls being connected by said lower central portion, said central portions extending over the major portion of the width of said pockets and having a wrist opening therein, said wrist opening being of such size that the user of the handbag can slip her hand, wrist, and lower forearm therein, said pockets being adapted to hang downwardly from said central portions in symmetrical fashion, said pockets being spaced from one another, each of said pockets having an opening therein in the upper portion of the inner wall, a slide fastener covering said opening, said openings being substantially hidden and inaccessible to others.

3. A handbag comprising two article carrying pockets with connecting portions therebetween, each of said pockets having an outer wall and an inner wall and having an upper portion adjacent to said connecting portions, said connecting portions comprising a lower connecting portion and an upper connecting portion, said upper connecting portion being of greater length than said lower connecting portion, said lower connecting portion being connected to said inner walls, said upper connecting portion being connected to said outer walls, there being no access through said outer walls into said pockets, said connecting portions having a wrist opening therebetween, said wrist opening being of such size that the user of the handbag can slip her hand, wrist, and lower forearm therein, each of said pockets having an opening therein in the upper portion of said inner wall adjacent to said lower connecting portion.

4. A substantially rectangular handbag comprising two similar article carrying pockets with connecting portions therebetween, each of said pockets having an outer wall and an inner wall and being relatively wide at the upper portion adjacent to said connecting portions, said connecting portions comprising a lower connecting portion and an upper connecting portion, said upper connecting portion being of greater length than said lower connecting portion, the outer portions of said lower connecting portions being connected to said inner walls, the outer portions of said upper connecting portions being connected to said outer walls, there being no access through said outer walls into said pockets, said connecting portions having a wrist opening therebetween, said wrist opening being of such size that the user of the handbag can slip her hand, wrist, and lower forearm therein, each of said pockets having an opening therein in the upper portion of said inner wall adjacent to said lower connecting portion, and closure means for said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,493,506 Schwartzbard Jan. 3, 1950 3,108,627 Tatelman Oct. 29, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 478,254 France Sept. 9, 1915 

1. A HANDBAG COMPRISING TWO SIMILAR ARTICLE CARRYING POCKETS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, SAID POCKETS BEING CONNECTED BY A PAIR OF CENTRAL PORTIONS THROUGH WHICH THE WRIST OF THE USER MAY BE INSERTED, SAID POCKETS AND SAID CENTRAL PORTIONS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME WIDTH, EACH OF SAID POCKETS HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, SAID OPENINGS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HIDDEN FROM VIEW AND INACCESSIBLE TO OTHERS, SAID OPENINGS EACH HAVING CLOSURE MEANS THEREON. 